Tuesday, January 28, 2014

So, I've started my own new tag! It is called the Get to Know You Better Tag, so that readers can know more about the less geeky side of us bloggers. You can use it on your blog too, just remember to tag other people so they can participate too.

Get to Know You Better

1. What is your favorite ice-cream flavor?

Cake batter!!!! OH THIS IS SO YUMALICOUS YOU GUYS OH YUM!!!!!!!

2. What was your favorite book as a child?

When I was in second grade, I read The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare. I will always remember that book as the book that sparked my love for reading.

3. Who is your celebrity crush?

This HAWT FACE!!!!!!

4. Last song you listened to?

Keep Me Crazy by Chris Wallace

5. Things you do for fun other than read?

1. SING. I love music.

2. Watch Tom Cruise running.

3. I'm American, and I am a HUGE football fan. Dallas Cowboys or Indianapolis Colts. :D

For Kitty Doe, it seems like an easy choice. She can either spend her life as a III in misery, looked down upon by the higher ranks and forced to leave the people she loves, or she can become a VII and join the most powerful family in the country.

If she says yes, Kitty will be Masked—surgically transformed into Lila Hart, the Prime Minister's niece, who died under mysterious circumstances. As a member of the Hart family, she will be famous. She will be adored. And for the first time, she will matter.

There's only one catch. She must also stop the rebellion that Lila secretly fostered, the same one that got her killed and one Kitty believes in. Faced with threats, conspiracies and a life that's not her own, she must decide which path to choose—and learn how to become more than a pawn in a twisted game she's only beginning to understand.

Introduction:

It seems to me like everyone is jumping on the bandwagon for this dystopian future genre. Aimee Carter, greek mythology author of the Goddess Test, has jumped on it as well. Pawn has a society that I found similar to The Selection. Like The Selection, the society in Pawn is divided into ranks, or castes, in The Selection’s case. The only difference is that in The Selection, higher ranks were low numbers, and in Pawn, higher ranks are higher numbers.

Although this book did lack originality, I still felt that it was a really enjoyable book.

My Synopsis:

Kitty Doe has trusted her government’s system for as long as she can remember. When you turn sixteen, you are required to take a test that determines your rank (and value in society) for the rest of your life. When she gets a three on the test, Kitty is convinced that she is an idiot. The test is fair, and the results don’t lie. She is stuck in the slums for the rest of her life.

And then the prime minister, Daxton Hart, shows up one day and tells Kitty to come with him. Well, naturally, she goes with him, because he is the boss of everyone and could get her shot right on the spot. Getting in the car is the last thing she remembers and then everything goes black.

When Kitty wakes up again, she is inside an unrecognizable body, lying in a hospital bed with Daxton watching her. He tells her something horrifying: Lila Hart, next in line to be ruler of the country, was killed a few weeks ago in an avalanche. They are still working out whether it was accident or murder, but one thing is for sure: No one can know Lila is dead.

Because of Kitty’s rare eye color, she was Masked to look and sound exactly like Lila. They have the same curves, facial expressions, and even voice. Kitty has stepped into the most important shoes in the country, and for once in her life, she will be noticed. She will be valuable.

She also must stop the rebellion that Lila started in the hearts of the people. The only problem is: Kitty secretly believes in the rebellion. She must choose between being a beacon of hope, or staying quiet to preserve the lives of those she loves. Either way, she has become a pawn in a very dangerous game.

Thoughts:

This is so stupid, but I sort of felt like there was a love triangle in this book. There wasn’t supposed to be, but I was rooting for the guy who showed no affection towards Kitty, and I was rooting against the guy that everyone loves.

This always happens, people!!!

WHY?!?!? I ALWAYS ROOT FOR THE WRONG GUY!!!

AIMEE CARTER PLLLLLLLLEEEEASSSSSSSSSSSSSSE TURN THIS BOOK INTO A LOVE TRIANGLE BEFORE I GO CRAZY AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHA.

The society in this book was definitely not original. That is for sure. There were guards that acted like Peacekeepers, groupings like the Selection, and a dictator leader and crumbling society that we see so much in Young Adult Fantasy and all of the dystopia genre.

Favorite Excerpt/ Scene:

“Have you ever played chess, Kitty?”

I eyed her. What did a board game have to do with this? “Not really.”

“You and I should play sometime. I think you would like it,” she said. “It’s a game of strategy, mostly. The strong pieces are in the back row, while the weak pieces—the pawns—are all in the front, ready to take the brunt of the attack. Because of their limited movement and vulnerability, most people underestimate them and only use them to protect the more powerful pieces. But when I play, I protect my pawns.”

“Why?” I said, not entirely sure where this conversation was going. “If they’re weak, then what’s the point?”

“They may be weak when the game begins, but their potential is remarkable. Most of the time, they’ll be taken by the other side and held captive until the end of the game. But if you’re careful—if you keep your eyes open and pay attention to what your opponent is doing, if you protect your pawns and they reach the other side of the board, do you know what happens then?”

I shook my head, and she smiled.

“Your pawn becomes a queen.” She touched my cheek, her fingers cold as ice. “Because they kept moving forward and triumphed against impossible odds, they become the most powerful piece in the game. Never forget that, all right? Never forget the potential one solitary pawn has to change the entire game.

Conclusions:

This book was not very original as far as society. HOWEVER I did find the idea of Kitty masquerading as someone else very interesting and enjoyable to read. I would read the rest of the series. It was a fairly fast paced book for ages 13 and up.

Sunday, January 26, 2014

Okay, so I have not participated in any book challenges yet, but I decided to try Read Sleep Repeat's Series Challenge. I am not a series finisher..... unless I absolutely love the author and the books. More than half of my HUGE TBR list are all the other books in a series that I started. So. I am going to start binge reading all of the series that I never finished. Every time I check one off, I will post it on here. You can participate too! Please comment some series because I am trying to earn my platinum badge! Here are the rules:

You have to FINISH the series

If the series isn’t complete yet, or will not be completed before December 1st, 2014 read up to the most recent book in said series.

Novellas count, but are optional.

HAVE fun

If you decide to break up with a series after book one, it does not count!

You do not have to START the series in 2014, you just have to FINISH it in 2014

Series that you started prior to 2014 are fine as long as you FINISH the series in 2014

The series has to have at least 2 books out prior to December 1st, 2014

Proof that you finished the book is required. It could be a full review, a mini review, or a rating with a few lines.

DNF’s do not count. PERIOD.

And thanks to Anya of On Starships and DragonwingsI’m going to sweeten the pot for you folks. Even though finishing a series is motivation enough for some of you, I know that 4 months in a lot of you will quit, and because of that I am implementing a badge system:If you complete 1-3 series you will earn the Bronze Badge. Those who earn this badge will be entered into a giveaway for a $5 gift-card to Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Kobo at the end of the year.If you complete 4-6 series you will earn the Silver Badge. Those who earn this badge will be entered into a giveaway for a book of their choice from The Book Depository, Amazon, Barnes & Noble or Kobo, valued at no more than $15 dollars.If you complete 7-11 series you will earn the Gold Badge. Those who earn this badge will be entered into a giveaway for a $20 gift card to Amazon, Barnes & Noble or Kobo.If you complete 12 OR more series you will earn the Platinum Badge. Those who earn this badge will be entered into a giveaway for a chance to win a box (3-5) of books. Since December is a ways away I don’t know what will be in the box yet. But there definitely will be an ARC…. or 3. HOWEVER I am not made of money so, if the Platinumwinner is international they will win a $30 gift card to Amazon.

Thursday, January 23, 2014

First and foremost, before I get to this post, I need to apologize. I have not posted in such a long time because of this:I wasn't supposed to move in to my new house until March 31st, but then the people that I bought the house from were like, "Surprise! You get the house two months early!"And so I have been moving all my stuff out of the apartment and back in to the new house. And we didn't get wifi until today. And with no wifi, I could not get on this to blog.I know that I am a terrible blogger to do this and I apologize profusely. My review for Pawn by Aimee Carter and Pivot Point by Kasie West are almost finished, so I will try my VERY HARDEST to get that posted today. Thanks for still checking on here and not giving up on me! You guys are the best.Love,Sarah

“Apple’s MirrorPhone played a measure of One Reflection’s single “You Don’t Know You’re Charming” to announce she’d received another hext message.”

Brief Synopsis from Goodreads:

At Ever After High, an enchanting boarding school, the children of fairytale legends prepare themselves to fulfill their destinies as the next generation of Snow Whites, Prince Charmings and Evil Queens...whether they want to or not. Each year on Legacy Day, students sign the Storybook of Legends to seal their scripted fates. For generations, the Village of Book End has whispered that refusing to sign means The End-both for a story and for a life.

As the daughter of the Evil Queen, Raven Queen's destiny is to follow in her mother's wicked footsteps, but evil is so not Raven's style. She's starting to wonder, what if she rewrote her own story? The royal Apple White, daughter of the Fairest of Them All, has a happy ever after planned for herself, but it depends upon Raven feeding her a poison apple in their future.

What if Raven doesn't sign the Storybook of Legends? It could mean a happily never after for them both.

My Summary:

Someone of my age should not enjoy this type of thing, but this book was so fun that any age should read it.

Introduction:

This book was about Ever After High, a highschool for future story book characters. The characters were fun, (especially Maddie, aka the next Mad Hatter) and some of the lines were cheesy, but overall this was a good book for anyone who wants a break from tense, action filled books. This book brought out my inner child reader. I loved Shannon Hale as a kid, and this story was fun and a VERY easy read. With things like hext messages instead of texts, Tailor Quick instead of Taylor Swift, and One Reflection instead of One Direction, I had a lot of fun on Hale’s ride to Happily Ever After.

My Synopsis:

*Caution: I use A LOT of Once Upon A Time Gifs in this Review

At Ever After High, everyone knows what their destiny is. On Legacy Day, each student will sign the Storybook of Legends, and begin the role in their story. Everyone is content with their role to play, and can’t wait to start their stories. Except one.

Raven Queen.

Raven is the next in line to be the evil queen in the Snow White story. There is only one problem: Raven doesn’t want to be evil. She has a good heart, and is friends with Apple White, the next Snow White. She isn’t sure if she wants to someday poison Apple with an apple. Even though she knows it’s her destiny, and that Apple will awaken from the curse, Raven still has her doubts.

Apple White knows this. As the highest of the princesses, and the president of the student council, it is her job to make sure everyone signs the Book of Legends. When she finds out that Raven might intend to not sign the Book of Legends, she decides to take action. After all, if Raven doesn’t take her part and sign, the story of Snow White will simply disappear. And Apple? She will go POOF! Simply cease to exist. The end.

“I mean, without the antagonist, there would be no story! It’d be like: ‘Once upon a time there was a girl who wanted to be loved, so she met a prince and got married and lived Happily Ever After, The End’? That’s not a story; that’s a bumper sticker.”

As Legacy Day comes closer and closer, Apple and Raven start to uncover a hidden secret. It turns out that someone has refused to sign the book before. Apple and Raven have never heard of their story, and Raven starts to feel uneasy. What if she really disappears if she doesn’t sign the book?

Raven Queen must make a huge decision: Either she must step into her mother’s shoes and become the evil queen she never wanted to be, or she destroys her story forever.

Characters:

My favorite character was Hunter, the Huntsman in Snow White. I knew he had some secrets. He just seemed like the secretive kind. Another thing that I completely loved about him is that every time there was a damsel in distress, he would be the one to come to the rescue. Here comes the funny part, though.

“A salivating wolf was in hot pursuit of Lizzie Hearts, who kept shouting, “Off with its head! Off with its head!” “I’ll help you!” Hunter rushed toward Lizzie Hearts, pausing first to rip off his shirt, place his fists on his hips, and strike a bold pose. Out of nowhere, trumpets played a heroic fanfare. “Oh!” Cupid said in surprise. The winged, pink-haired girl had transferred to the school just that year. “I didn’t realize there would be so much trumpeting and tearing of shirts at Ever After High.” “Hunter does that,” Raven whispered to Cupid. “The shirt thing. We’re not really sure why.”

Every single time in the book that he had to save someone, he ripped off his shirt, struck a pose, and invisible horns popped out of nowhere and played a “heroic fanfare.” EVERY SINGLE TIME! The first time I didn’t think it was really funny the first time, but by like the third time, I was giggling.

“Well, write me into the list of Those Who Don’t Mind a Bit,” said Cupid, eyeing his perfectly toned arms and chest. “My, but he will break a few hearts.”

The only character I REALLY disliked was…. Apple. Yes, I know. I’m a horrible person for saying Snow White was the worst character. But this was no Mary Margaret. She was kind of a brat. She wasn’t the kind, loving person that Snow White should be. She was self-centered and didn’t ever stop to think about Raven’s feelings. It really bugged me. Maybe Hale wanted her to seem like a snot, I don’t know.

Another character that I loved: Maddie. She was Raven’s best friend and the future Mad Hatter. And boy, was she mad. Madly funny!

“Raven heard a crunch. “Maddie!” said Raven. “You’re not supposed to eat the stone.” “Why not?” said Maddie. “It’s delightfully crunchy.” “How do you even do that?” Raven asked. “I mean, it’s a rock.” Maddie shrugged. “Sometimes things aren’t impossible the first time I try, because I don’t know they’re impossible yet. I probably couldn’t do it again, though.”

Conclusions:

This book will bring out your inner child. If you love fairytales, you should check out this book. It is a cute, easy read that you will have fun with. The characters are cute, funny, and although sometimes cheesy, they are good for laughs. If you just finished an emotional book or a long book, settle back on the couch and open up Ever After High. Don’t resist the temptation, this apple isn’t poisoned.

Sunday, January 12, 2014

BUM BUM BUM BUM!!!!!!!! This is WAAYYY EXCITING, everyone. I was going to reveal this later but since the author tour has been pushed back, I decided I better make you happy.I am doing MONTHLY NEWSLETTERS! How fun, right? You don't know the half of it. Here is what the monthly newsletter will include:-An exclusive book review found ONLY in the Monthly Newsletters- Predictins for a book being released in 2014 (just like my Allegiant Predictions)- Fanfiction from a book of your choice- And, as always, new book releases for that month.

How Do I Sign Up?

Here is the easy part. You can: 1. Join my group on Goodreads. The perks? You can see the newsletters before anyone else, and you are the one that chooses what is in them.Click here to join:https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/123173-enchanted-by-a-book-monthly-newslettersOr 2. Look at my new Monthly Newsletters page and read all past and present Newsletters. The down side? You won't get to choose anything. But it's still cool.

An all-new, edge-of-your seat adventure from James Dashner, the author of the New York Times bestselling Maze Runner series, The Eye of Minds is the first book in The Mortality Doctrine, a series set in a world of hyperadvanced technology, cyberterrorists, and gaming beyond your wildest dreams . . . and your worst nightmares.

Michael is a gamer. And like most gamers, he almost spends more time on the VirtNet than in the actual world. The VirtNet offers total mind and body immersion, and it’s addictive. Thanks to technology, anyone with enough money can experience fantasy worlds, risk their life without the chance of death, or just hang around with Virt-friends. And the more hacking skills you have, the more fun. Why bother following the rules when most of them are dumb, anyway?

But some rules were made for a reason. Some technology is too dangerous to fool with. And recent reports claim that one gamer is going beyond what any gamer has done before: he’s holding players hostage inside the VirtNet. The effects are horrific—the hostages have all been declared brain-dead. Yet the gamer’s motives are a mystery.

The government knows that to catch a hacker, you need a hacker.

And they’ve been watching Michael. They want him on their team.

But the risk is enormous. If he accepts their challenge, Michael will need to go off the VirtNet grid. There are back alleys and corners in the system human eyes have never seen and predators he can’t even fathom—and there’s the possibility that the line between game and reality will be blurred forever.

My Summary:

This book was from an author that I really like. My excitement turned to disappointment as I found this story dull and not nearly as exciting as expected.

This book had a good plot, and when I read the synopsis on Goodreads a while ago, I was super excited. This book sounded very intriguing and different. However, I think the synopsis makes the book sound a lot better than it actually is.

What the synopsis says:

And recent reports claim that one gamer is going beyond what any gamer has done before: he’s holding players hostage inside the VirtNet.

What it really means:

There is this guy named Kaine and his intentions are super confusing. And as far as holding hostages inside the VirtNet, we never actually meet a hostage.

What the synopsis says:

But the risk is enormous. If he accepts their challenge, Michael will need to go off the VirtNet grid.

What it really means:

They ask Michael for help and threaten his family, so he agrees immediately without further thought despite the fact that it is EXTREMELY DANGEROUS and, oh yes. STRANGER DANGER. (And also, their threats are not very….. that threat-ish.)

Short Synopsis: (My Version)

Basically there is this thing called the VirtNet where kids can hook themselves up inside of a coffin thing and enter the VirtNet to play games. You can die as many times as you want and still wake up just fine and go on with life, although dying in the VirtNet does feel a little upsetting, says Michael, the main character.

NO DUH!!! Everything in the VirtNet is supposed to be ahem very realistic.

Then there is this guy named Kaine and he is holding victims (again, I don't remember meeting even one) inside the VirtNet, and when those victims are found in the real world, they are confirmed brain dead. So, naturally, they ask a teenager for help, because apparently the only good hackers are teens…..? What?

And so Michael agrees and his VirtNet friends, (whom he has never met in real life, but trusts that they look in real life like they do in the real world) Bryson and Sarah, help him to help him defeat Kaine once and for all before things get out of hand. But as the line between the VirtNet and real life is “blurred,” their lives are in real danger. Can they stay safe and still save the VirtNet ?

My Problems With This Book:

1. The message that it is giving younger readers.

For younger kids and teens that read this book, it does not give them good messages. It completely throws away the cautions of cyber stranger danger. In the VirtNet, you can create your character to look however you want it to. So, basically Michael trusts that his friends are really the age they say that they are, when in reality, they could be a completely older age than they claim to be. They both want to meet Michael in real life, which is like the biggest NO of cyber stranger danger.

2. The main character.

I really, really did not find Michael an interesting character. I didn’t. Sorry. It felt to me like he had zero personality and he was just another kid that plays violent video games.

3. That one disturbing scene….

There was a really disturbing scene at the very beginning where someone committed suicide. Except this one was like, super creepy and disturbing. I went back just to make sure I hadn’t imagined it.

Okay, so I am being a little mean…..

I really did enjoy this book. It was creative and full of action. It was actually a pretty epic book. I think that the main thing for me is that this book was written by JAMES DASHNER. I mean, this guy wrote the MAZE RUNNER. That book is AMAZING. And he also wrote 13th Reality! I absolutely loved those series, and Dashner just did not live up to his reputation with this book.

Conclusions:

Read it.But watch out for all the things that I listed above. This book was an average read. Would I read it again? No. Would I recommend it? Possibly.

Monday, January 6, 2014

Yes. I realize I might not get to some of these. I have play practice for a play I have a big part in that starts next week. That will take up most of my time, so know that January, February, and March will be very slow going. Please still check out this blog, because I will still be reviewing and doing posts like these. Just know that I am trying my best to still work on this.

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About Me

Hi! Welcome to my blog about books. I love books so much, there will be a new one to introduce to you every day! I usually only read Young Adult fiction, but I am okay with requests so comment on the Book Reviews page if you want to see one. Have fun looking around my blog!